At a glance
RSSL charges 0.08% a year, below the 0.26% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 4th cheapest of 9). It has $1.49B in assets, the 6th largest of that group; it paid 1.34% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +13.2% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 7th of those 9 funds. Its ten largest positions make up 3.2% of the fund, out of 1,960 in all.
The short version
Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL) is an index fund that tracks the Russell 2000 RIC Capped Index. The index holds about 1,960 smaller US companies (1,960 as of July 31, 2026). What sets it apart is cost: its 0.08% expense ratio is well below the 0.26% average of similar funds and the 0.19% charged by iShares' IWM. The trade-off is a short record, since it launched in June 2024.
Price history
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RSSL +13.2% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSSL official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +12.76% | — | — | — | +14.97% |
| RSSL price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.6% | +13.2% | — | — | — | +15.4% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, RSSL returned +13.2%, 7th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2025 (+12.9%); its best was 2025 (+12.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 27.8% (Nov 25, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Sep 18, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.6% | — |
| 2025 | +12.9% | +12.76% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.9800 | |
| 2025 | $1.3000 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 1,960 securities; the ten largest made up 3.23% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| MOOG INC. | 0.36% | |
| HUT 8 CORP. | 0.36% | |
| UMB FINANCIAL CORPORATION | 0.35% | |
| CYTOKINETICS, INCORPORATED | 0.33% | |
| VIASAT, INC. | 0.31% | |
| BRIGHTSPRING HEALTH SERVICES, INC. | 0.31% | |
| GLAUKOS CORPORATION | 0.31% | |
| CARETRUST REIT, INC. | 0.31% | |
| OLD NATIONAL BANCORP | 0.30% | |
| BRINKER INTERNATIONAL, INC. | 0.30% | |
| Krystal Biotech Inc | 0.29% | |
| JFROG LTD | 0.28% | |
| Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc | 0.28% | |
| HEALTHEQUITY, INC. | 0.27% | |
| Protagonist Therapeutics Inc | 0.27% |
By country
United States 99.68%By asset type
Stocks 99.68%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $122.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -3.04%, +3.73%, +4.36%.
How it works
RSSL follows the Russell 2000 RIC Capped Index from FTSE Russell, which measures small US companies. As of December 31, 2025, the index had 1,956 stocks. The smallest had a market value of $5.0 million and the largest $31.3 billion. Stocks are weighted by market capitalization (share price times shares outstanding), so bigger companies get bigger slices. "RIC capped" refers to a quarterly rule that keeps the index within US fund diversification limits. No stock can exceed 20%, and stocks above 4.5% can't total more than 48%. In practice the weights are tiny. As of July 31, 2026, the 10 largest holdings made up just 3.23% of the fund. They were led by Moog, Hut 8 and UMB Financial, each about 0.35% to 0.36%.
The index is rebuilt twice a year and adds new stock listings (IPOs) every quarter. Global X uses "representative sampling." That means it may hold a sample of stocks with similar traits rather than every stock in the index. It expects its returns to track the index with a correlation above 95%, before fees. It doesn't try to beat the index or move into cash when markets fall. As of July 31, 2026, it also held a small Russell 2000 futures contract (0.37% of assets) and 1.12% in cash. It may lend out securities worth up to one-third of its total assets. Portfolio turnover was 13.42%.
What it really costs
- RSSL charges 0.08% a year, versus an average of 0.26% for the similar funds below (4th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $8 in the first year and $103 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSSL | $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
In a retirement portfolio
It gives low-cost exposure to small US companies, but it swings more than the broad market and has a record of less than three years.
RSSL could add small US companies that large-cap funds barely hold. It costs about $8 in the first year on $10,000, using the SEC's standard example. It is not an income fund: its trailing yield was 1.34% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. It launched in June 2024, so it missed the 2008, 2020 and 2022 downturns. Its only full calendar year, 2025, returned 12.76%. Its deepest drop was 27.8%, from November 25, 2024 to April 8, 2025. It took about 5.4 months to recover. Anyone who had to cash out shares near that low would have locked in the loss. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting broad small-cap US exposure: 1,960 stocks as of July 31, 2026, with no single holding above about 0.36%.
- Cost-conscious long-term holders: the 0.08% expense ratio is well under IWM's 0.19% and the 0.26% average of similar funds.
- Investors who can sit through swings like the 27.8% drop from November 2024 to April 2025 without needing the money.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone who wants a long track record: RSSL launched in June 2024 and has not been through a full bear market.
- Income seekers: the trailing yield was 1.34% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly, which is modest for funding withdrawals.
- Investors after the lowest small-cap fee: BKSE and SCHA charge 0.04% and VTWO charges 0.07%, though their holdings differ.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSSL this fund | — | 0.08% | $1.49B | +13.2% | — |
| VTWO Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 69% | 0.07% | $17.95B | +15.4% | +21.2% |
| IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 67% | 0.19% | $82.97B | +14.5% | +19.3% |
| BKSE BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF | 53% | 0.04% | $87.3M | +14.9% | +21.3% |
| RFLR Innovator U.S. Small Cap Managed Floor ETF | 43% | 0.89% | $92.0M | +11.9% | — |
| IWO iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF | 42% | 0.24% | $15.43B | +6.0% | +18.8% |
| GSSC TR Activebeta US Small Cap Equity ETF | 40% | 0.2% | $1.08B | +15.6% | +20.5% |
| SCHA Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 36% | 0.04% | $22.65B | +19.1% | +20.0% |
Questions investors ask
Is RSSL good for retirement?
RSSL may suit a smaller, higher-risk slot in a retirement portfolio rather than a core role. It spreads money across about 1,960 small US companies for 0.08% a year. But small caps swing hard. The fund fell 27.8% between November 2024 and April 2025 and took about 5.4 months to recover. Its yield was 1.34% as of October 27, 2026, so it adds little income. Its history only goes back to June 2024.
What's the difference between RSSL and VTWO?
Both are low-cost funds built on the Russell 2000, and they share about 69% of their holdings. VTWO costs slightly less, at 0.07% versus 0.08%. It is also much larger: $17.9 billion as of August 31, 2026, against RSSL's $1.49 billion as of July 31, 2026. RSSL tracks a capped version of the index and holds a sample of its stocks. One-year returns were 16.4% for VTWO (as of October 29, 2026) and 13.2% for RSSL (as of October 27, 2026).
RSSL vs IWM: which is cheaper?
RSSL is cheaper. Its expense ratio is 0.08%, compared with 0.19% for the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). On $10,000, RSSL's SEC standard cost example is $8 for one year and $103 over 10 years. IWM is far larger, with $83.0 billion in net assets as of June 30, 2026, and has a much longer history. The two funds share about 67% of their holdings.
Does RSSL pay dividends?
Yes. RSSL pays dividends quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.47 per share, a trailing yield of 1.34%. That income comes from the small US companies it holds. Many of them pay little or nothing, so the yield is modest. Investors looking mainly for regular income may find that higher-yielding funds fit that goal more closely.
How has RSSL performed since it launched?
RSSL returned 12.76% in 2025, its only full calendar year. Its average annual return from its June 2024 launch through December 31, 2025, was 14.97%, according to its prospectus. Based on price, it was up 14.6% for 2026 through October 27. Its strongest quarter gained 12.38% (ending September 30, 2025), and its weakest lost 9.48% (ending March 31, 2025). A record this short says little about how it might hold up in a long downturn.